Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have raised concerns over what they described as persistent neglect and exclusion in state budgeting across Nigeria’s South-West, warning that poor funding continues to deepen poverty, discrimination, and hardship within the disability community.
The concerns were raised at a press conference and the unveiling of the ThisAbility Budget (TAB) 2025 Portal and Report in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, organised by Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI) Nigeria. The event brought together members of the disability community and media stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, DINABI’s Executive Director, Engr. Olajide Funso, expressed disappointment over what he described as the exclusion of persons with disabilities from budget processes in the six South-West states. He criticised the states for allocating less than 0.5 per cent of their annual budgets to disability inclusion, despite persons with disabilities accounting for over 15 per cent of the population. He cited Ogun State, which, according to the report, made no specific allocation for disability inclusion in its 2025 budget and also failed to make the budget publicly accessible.
Engr. Funso explained that the TAB Portal, the first of its kind in Nigeria, provides verified, state-by-state analysis of disability-specific budget lines. He said the platform is designed to promote transparency, accountability, and evidence-based advocacy, enabling persons with disabilities, civil society groups, researchers, and the general public to engage governments more effectively.
Echoing these concerns, the General Secretary of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) lamented that only 0.048 per cent of over ₦6 trillion allocated across South-West state budgets was earmarked for disability matters. He said the poor funding explains the widespread unemployment, hunger, and economic hardship faced by persons with disabilities in the region.
According to data from the TAB Portal and the 2025 report, Oyo State ranked highest with a disability-specific allocation of ₦1.22 billion, representing 0.179 per cent of its total budget, while Ogun State ranked lowest with zero allocation. The report also noted that although Lagos allocated more funds in absolute terms than Ondo State, Ondo performed better when allocations were measured as a percentage of total state budgets.
The stakeholders called for the active participation of persons with disabilities in budget processes, improved accessibility of budget documents, and increased disability-specific funding. They also urged stronger collaboration between governments and organisations of persons with disabilities to promote an inclusive society. Engr. Funso disclosed that the TAB project will become an annual exercise and is expected to cover all 36 states and the FCT by 2026.
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